SOC 334 Technology & Society
This course critically examines technology as a social phenomenon rather than a neutral tool. We will approach technology through three guiding questions: 1) What counts as technology, and what forms of agency do technologies have (or lack)?; 2) How does technology reflect and shape identity, social interaction, social structures, and systems of inequality?; And 3) What role does technology play in sustaining or transforming institutions and social change? Drawing on sociological theories of technology, inequality, and culture, we will analyze how technologies are designed, adopted, and contested across different contexts. By the end of the course, you will be equipped to interrogate the sociologically complex and multifaceted relationship between humans and technology.
Prerequisite
SOC 101, SOC 102, or SOC 105